The Impact of the Ahmedabad Plane Tragedy

Fate plays its own games, as evidenced by the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad, which has led to numerous poignant stories emerging that deeply resonate with the public. A coffin maker from Vadodara received an unexpected order from Air India for 100 coffins, leaving him torn between joy for the large order and sorrow over the human tragedy that necessitated it. Arnesh Rajwadi, the coffin maker, shared with the media that he received a call from an Air India manager urgently requesting the coffins, prompting all his craftsmen to get to work immediately.

Meanwhile, Nilesh Vaghela, a 47-year-old truck driver, arrived at the civil hospital in Ahmedabad with 20 coffins. He remarked on how people often discuss borders and visas, but coffins do not require passports. In death, everyone appears the same. Nilesh mentioned that he typically crafts seven coffins daily. With the tragic loss of 274 lives in the AI-171 plane crash, he was suddenly faced with the daunting task of fulfilling an order for 100 coffins. Fortunately, he had over 50 coffins already prepared in stock, which eased the process somewhat. He often assists in sending deceased bodies abroad, to places like London and the USA, but this situation felt different. Despite the surge in demand, he chose not to raise prices or request any advance payments, stating, 'This is not a time for profit.' After delivering the coffins, he and his team return to the workshop to continue working, as the orders are far from complete.

Additionally, DNA sampling for the deceased continues at the Ahmedabad civil hospital. A crowd of relatives has gathered outside the facility. Reports indicate that over 270 autopsies have been conducted so far, with DNA samples taken from 230 individuals, of which eight bodies have been identified.